Does fashion week influence the Parisian culinary scene?

During each Fashion Week, a crowd of fashion enthusiasts descends on the French capital to attend the shows of the most prestigious houses, but also to eat. Indeed, exploring Paris’s culinary scene is an essential activity for Fashion Week participants, to the extent that some may even question the impact Fashion Week has on the culinary industry. Each year, media outlets publish a new list of must-try restaurants in Paris specifically for Fashion Week. "Paris: Best Restaurants for Fashion Week Lunches", "Paris Fashion Week: Best Spots for Lunch and Dinner Between Shows"—these are the types of headlines that flood the internet days before the festivities, tempting and attracting the curious (and the food lovers). Among the selections, some are famous celebrity haunts, like Zeffirino, an Italian restaurant renowned for its iconic pesto, which recently hosted power couple Rihanna and Asap Rocky last June during the FW25 collections presentation. Gigi, another Italian eatery offering a breathtaking view of the city, hosted stars like Jennifer Lopez after the Elie Saab Haute Couture show in January.

Fashion Weeks are undeniably an ideal opportunity for Parisian restaurants to gain exposure and possibly build their reputations, even beyond the capital’s borders. To capitalize on this, some offer special Fashion Week menus. A few years ago, the Hotel Plaza Athénée, a five-star venue on Avenue Montaigne, offered a menu paying homage to Christian Dior during Fashion Week. The three-course meal featured chilled blue lobster, roasted lamb chops from Lozère with baked potatoes and thyme jus, and a raspberry and vanilla baked Alaska. Chef Alain Ducasse, who created the menu, said: "Beyond his talent as a designer, Christian Dior was also a passionate gourmet who put as much care into crafting his menus as his couture pieces. I share his love of beauty and taste. This menu pays tribute to him."

Other establishments opt to attract crowds through exclusive parties. This is the case for L’Avenue, a high-end bistro also located on Avenue Montaigne, which hosts grand galas each Fashion Week. Last January, the bistro hosted a GQ x Levi’s event, featuring notable guests such as Quavo and Zac Bia. The local GQ team described it in their article: "During the men's shows, we take over the local hotspot L'Avenue and invite all our friends—designers, editors, stylists, models, actors, musicians, artists, and other front-row regulars—to come drink and dance, hoping to make new friends along the way." Without a doubt, Fashion Week serves as a powerful marketing tool for many venues. However, it mainly benefits upscale, trendy, and aesthetically pleasing locations, often leaving little opportunity for the small neighborhood bistro, which will likely experience Fashion Week differently.